~ Perspective from Vancouver

The Friday File-Public Art Artist Patents the Black Pencil Crayon

Remember when you shared your coloured pencil crayons in school and the other kid didn’t give the black pencil crayon back? That is what Public Art artist Anish Kapoor is accused of doing.

The Smithsonian magazine says it all. “Earlier this year, Kapoor sparked outrage from artists all over the world with the announcement that he had made a deal to become the only person in the world allowed to use the blackest pigment of black paint ever developed. Known as Vantablack, the unique carbon nanotube-based pigment is produced solely by a British company called NanoSystem, and was originally developed for military technologies. However, Kapoor made an agreement with the company that he is the only person allowed to use it for artistic purposes.”

Kapoor’s “Cloud Gate”(2006) repainted in the Vantablack paint he is alledgedly not sharing

Other artists are upset. Said artist Stuart Semple”When I first heard that Anish had the exclusive rights to the blackest black I was really disappointed…It just seemed really mean-spirited and against the spirit of generosity that most artists who make and share their work are driven by.” Learning from Kapoor, Mr. Semple has released his own special colour pigment that he calls “Pink”. And everyone in the world can use it-except Anish Kapoor.

“Semple is currently selling “Pink” through his website for £3.99 per pot (about $5). However, before purchasing the powdered pigment, buyers have to agree to a legal disclaimer that states they have no intention of letting it fall into Kapoor’s hands.”

Mr. Semple sums the banned black paint up this way: [Kapoor is like the] kids who wouldn’t share their felt pens. They just sat there in the corner without any friends.”